Concern Over Templemore Lake Fish Kills

Concerns were raised at Templemore Town Council’s June meeting about the number of fish being taken from the lake in the town park.

Concerns were raised at Templemore Town Council’s June meeting about the number of fish being taken from the lake in the town park.

The matter was raised by the Mayor, Cllr Jim O’Shea, who said that people were killing fish “by the bagful” and taking them away to sell them.

“Dead fish are being put into car boots. It’s a disgrace,” he said, calling for bylaws to be introduced to prevent fish kills on the lake.

“The council has to so something. There are 20 to 30 fish being dumped into bags. This is a commercial thing and they are destroying the lake,” he said. “The fish must be put back in the lake. The lake is being fished to death.”

Cllr O’Shea urged that a water bailiff be appointed to look after fish stocks.

He said that bylaws should have introduced “years ago”. He said that the bylaws could govern the amount of rods any one person could have, the number of keep nets and could include a no fish kill measure.

“We can’t prosecute anybody because there are no bylaws governing the lake,” he said.

Cllr O’Shea was backed by Cllr Michael Ryan, who agreed that the fish needed to be protected because the systemn was being abused, while Cllr Maura Byrne said that there should be bylaws because the lake was an amenity for all of Templemore.

Cllr Martin Fogary suggested that a footnote sign be placed on present signage around the lake stating “no fish kills”.

Town manager Karl Cashen told the meeting he would check the legal situation because the kills “had to be stopped”.

He said that he would see what the process and procedures for bylaws would be and report back to the next meeting.

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